Ball-frame for pool and billiard tables.



B. N. HUTZEL. BALL FRAME FOR POOL AND BILLIARD TABLES. APPLIOATION FILED DBO. m, 1909.

966,552, Patented Aug. 9, 1910.

MIMI! um Witneooca uoewtoz m5 MW BENEDICT HUTZEL, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

BALL-FRAME FOR POOL AND BILLIARD TABLES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed December 10, 1909.

Patented Aug. 9, 1910.

Serial No. 532,467.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, BENEDICT N. HUTZEL, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of New York, borough of Brooklyn, county of Kings, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ball-Frames for Pool and Billiard Tables, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact specification, reference being had to the accompanyin drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a perspective view of the frame, constructed according to my invention; Fig. 2 a plan view thereof, part of the front side being broken off to disclose the locking plate; Fig. 3 a bottom View of the bottom part of the frame; Fig. 4 is a detail View, drawn on an enlarged scale, showing the spring bolt, set in the front side of the frame.

My invention relates to billiard and pool tables and consists of the herein shown, and further more fully described ball frame for such tables, the object thereof being to provide a device for collecting and arranging the balls and then transfer the balls arranged for the game upon the table in such arranged position, thereby dispensing with the heretofore necessary piling in of the balls I into the frame, and arranging them on the pool table, and obviating, not only the attending noise, but also the damage resulting therefrom to the balls and to the covering and the base plate of the pool table.

My improved ball frame consists of the sides a Z), and c and of the bottom piece (Z. The sides a and b are wider than the side a, and grooves e are provided therein running parallel to the edges of the sides a and b, and extending throughout their entire length. Corner blocks 72, are inserted in the joints of sides a, b, and c to strengthen them. The bottom part d has .its edges 9, corresponding in location to the sides a and b of the frame, beveled and fitted into the grooves 6 thereof. On the underside of this bottom part (Z a strip 71 of rough cloth or of some similar material is applied, the object whereof is explained in describing the use of my improved device. In addition, a plate Z2, having an aperture or depression is, is affixed at the edge Z of the bottom part (Z, and a spring-bolt m is set in the side 0 of the frame, in a corresponding position to plate 70, to engage therewith and hold the bottom part CZ when inserted in grooves 6, against dropping out accidentally.

The ball frames, heretofore used, consist of only the sides a, b, and c, all of which are equally wide. When used, this frame is placed on the billiard table and the balls are filled in, into the space, inclosed by the sides of the frame, from the basket, into which they were collected during the preceding game. The falling of the balls upon the table within the sides of the frame, results in great wear'upon the cloth covering the table, and at times also dents are made into the table. This manner of forming the balls is also productive of considerable noise and results frequently in cracking them. To avoid this I have devised the above described frame, wherein the balls may be placed successively, as they are removed from the table, or into which they may be collected, as they are now collected on some tables, provided with runways from the pockets, into a basket, and the balls formed therein for a new game. The frame, with the balls held therein by its'bottom, is placed upon the table, the balls arranged therein as desired, and then the balls are slid off, of the bottom, and in their place upon the table, by a push upon the side 0 in the same manner as the balls are placed in their position on the table with the frames heretofore used, after they have been arranged.

The bottom part d of my improved frame is pressed upon the table by the weight of the balls thereon and the strip 2' of cloth, or other similar material, being in frictional contact with the cloth of the table, holds it in place when the pushing force is applied to the side 0 of the frame. The sides a, b, and 0, with the balls between them, are moved by the push, but the bottom part (if of my improved frame stands still and slides out from the grooves e of the sides a and b of the frame. After the balls are positioned on the table, the sides of the frame and the bottom are picked up, the bottom is slid in again and the frame may then be placed underneath the runway, or wherever desired, and is ready to again receive the balls removed from the table during the game.

To avoid an accidental dropping out of the bottom when handling it, the plate 70, with the depression or recess 70, and the spring-bolt m are provided. Plate 72 is applied to the bottom part (Z and spring-bolt m is inserted in the side 0 of the frame. This spring-bolt consists of the bolt m, collar 0 secured to the head thereof, and spring p coiled on the stem of the bolt. The springbolt is set in bore 7 (see Fig. 4L) in side 0 of the frame; the spring 29 is set to press bolt m outwardly and to drive it into the depression, or aperture 70, when the bottom part (Z is inserted in the frame, as explained. If this locking device is employed, the user of my improved ball frame must, when taking hold of the side 0 of the frame, to push off the balls with the sides of the frame, as above explained, press upon the bottom part cl, at or near the plate is, with the index finger of his hand, to release the bottom part (Z from the side 0. If desired a slide may be provided on the bolt, to be operated by the thumb of the hand. This feature, while very advantageous, is not essential, and in place of the particular locking device herein shown and described any other locking device, suitable for the purpose, may be employed.

I claim as my invention:

1. A ball frame for pool and billiard tables, comprising three sides, two of which are wider than the third, joined together; grooves in the wider sides underneath the lower edge of the narrower side, and a triangular plate having two of its edges fitted into the grooves, and forming the bottom of the frame; a frictional retaining device upon the underside of the plate, substantially as herein shown and described.

2. The combination with ball frame for pool and billiard tables, comprising three sides, two of which are wider than the third, joined together; grooves in the wider sides underneath the lower edge of the narrower side, and a triangular plate, having two of its edges fitted into the grooves, and forming the bottom of the frame; means for locking the plate to one side of the frame, and a frictional retaining device upon the underside of the plate, substantially as herein shown'and described.

3. The combination with ball frame for pool and billiard tables, of a correspondingly shaped bottom plate therefor, a frictional retaining device upon the underside of the plate, and means for removably securing the bottom part to the sides of the frame, so that it may be disengaged by pushing. off the frame, substantially as herein shown and described.

BENEDICT N. HUTZEL. 1

Witnesses:

ROBERT A. PIPER, M. A. HELMKE. 

